Public doubts about Myanmar voter turnout for phase 2 sham election

Mizzima

As the military-planned Phase 2 election approached this week, many social media users in Myanmar openly questioned whether voter turnout will be any higher than in Phase 1. Discussions on platforms like Facebook, Telegram, and X revealed widespread skepticism, with numerous users predicting that participation will remain low or even decline.

The general sentiment is largely dismissive and distrustful. Many individuals believe there is little reason for people to change their behaviour following Phase 1, which was characterized by poor attendance and a lack of public support. Online conversations indicated that fear, apathy, and political disillusionment are continuing to influence public attitudes toward voting.

Common comments from users include:

“Phase 1 was empty. Phase 2 will be the same.”

“People have already shown their stance by staying home.”

“Nothing has changed. Why would turnout increase?”

“They will vote on paper, not in person.”

Others highlighted ongoing arrests, conflict, and economic hardship as reasons why voting was not a priority for most civilians. There was also significant skepticism regarding how turnout figures will be reported after Phase 2.